Harry Winks - Leicester City

[wizgell]

To have seen an academy product be in and around the 1st team for the last 6 years (approx) has been great. At the very start, I really thought Harry would go onto be a key player for us but he has just stood still a bit as things around him have changed.

He is nowhere near as bad as some make out, and quite frankly some of the criticism is completely unfair. We have simply decided now is the time to move him on for the good of his career and that isn't a bad thing. He would do brilliantly in Spain but he will also go on to do a good solid job for most PL sides outside of the Top 6 so good luck to him!

 

[djhotspur]

As much as we slag off winks, and probably rightfully so, I think he can do a job for most premier league teams.

He is just not for us anymore.

£20m would be superb for us, for a player we just can't use anymore.

And I believe most of us would wish winks well as we wave him goodbye.

I think if a team plays a 3 man midfield he is fine playing for them, for a lower to mid table side.

 

[Freddie]

To have seen an academy product be in and around the 1st team for the last 6 years (approx) has been great. At the very start, I really thought Harry would go onto be a key player for us but he has just stood still a bit as things around him have changed.

He is nowhere near as bad as some make out, and quite frankly some of the criticism is completely unfair. We have simply decided now is the time to move him on for the good of his career and that isn't a bad thing. He would do brilliantly in Spain but he will also go on to do a good solid job for most PL sides outside of the Top 6 so good luck to him!

To say he's stood still is generous. He's massively regressed, and in the last 3 years he's been terrible almost every time he has played bar a handful of games. It hasn't helped that he hasn't had an extended run of games but to be frank he hasn't earned that. He concedes possession, he shirks challenges, and most importantly he's scared to take any kind of risk to play a forward pass, instead just passing the buck. Add to that suggestions of him leaking stories to the press and an air of entitlement in his interviews. Apparently we've wanted to get rid of him for a while but he stayed knowing he wouldn't get game time. When he did play there were few signs he was fighting for his Spurs career. I can see why he gets a bit of stick.

 

[Harrier]

Shame he didn’t kick on after Poch played him regularly, but he really needs to move on to reignite his career and free up a squad position for an upgrade.

Just hoping we don’t have a ‘Harry Winks wants to stay and fight for his place!’ type statement incoming! ?

 

[spids]

To say he's stood still is generous. He's massively regressed, and in the last 3 years he's been terrible almost every time he has played bar a handful of games. It hasn't helped that he hasn't had an extended run of games but to be frank he hasn't earned that. He concedes possession, he shirks challenges, and most importantly he's scared to take any kind of risk to play a forward pass, instead just passing the buck. Add to that suggestions of him leaking stories to the press and an air of entitlement in his interviews. Apparently we've wanted to get rid of him for a while but he stayed knowing he wouldn't get game time. When he did play there were few signs he was fighting for his Spurs career. I can see why he gets a bit of stick.

I think some of that is a little harsh. I agree he is not good enough for our ambitions. He can play a progressive pass in the middle third, and he can move the ball nicely. His main strength is a little burst of acceleration to wriggle through a gap when under pressure (but has not had the confidence to do this for a long time).

His weaknesses are:

Defensive positioning - constantly the wrong side of the man / ball, no anticipation of danger.
Tackling
Zero aerial ability
No composure anywhere near the final third.

 

[spids]

I think if a team plays a 3 man midfield he is fine playing for them, for a lower to mid table side.

Brighton have a vacancy. I think Potter would be great for Winks.

 

[Teegart]

If we can get £15-20m for him it’d be an excellent bit of business.

Imagine if someone had said before the window started, “How does Winks plus £5-10m for Bissouma sound?”. You’d have thought they were half daft.

 

[WiganSpur]

Brighton have a vacancy. I think Potter would be great for Winks.

That's probably the best team for him in the PL but the problem is you have to build your entire midfield to mask his defensive weaknesses. He'd need two physical players in front of him.

 

[InOffMeLeftShin]

To say he's stood still is generous. He's massively regressed, and in the last 3 years he's been terrible almost every time he has played bar a handful of games. It hasn't helped that he hasn't had an extended run of games but to be frank he hasn't earned that. He concedes possession, he shirks challenges, and most importantly he's scared to take any kind of risk to play a forward pass, instead just passing the buck. Add to that suggestions of him leaking stories to the press and an air of entitlement in his interviews. Apparently we've wanted to get rid of him for a while but he stayed knowing he wouldn't get game time. When he did play there were few signs he was fighting for his Spurs career. I can see why he gets a bit of stick.

While I agree he has his weaknesses, particularly the way he is pretty weak the majority of the time in challenges, the one most important point you made doesn’t particularly ring true under Conte. While he was very much a ball recycler when he played under Mourinho, he definitely looked far more progressive when playing under Conte and actually picked out some really nice passes earlier in the season. I don’t think he is incapable of playing those kind of passes he just seemed to fall into a comfortable safe zone for a large part of his career.

The time is right for him to move on, we have better options now by far and he’d get little to no game time.

 

[UncleBuck]

If I was in his position and Everton are interested I’d be expecting my agent to go all out and get me a move to Spain!
Sun on his back, earn some great money and play in a league that’d actually suit him, I just don’t understand why more English players don’t go and experience playing in another country.?‍

 

[ralphs bald spot]

To say he's stood still is generous. He's massively regressed, and in the last 3 years he's been terrible almost every time he has played bar a handful of games. It hasn't helped that he hasn't had an extended run of games but to be frank he hasn't earned that. He concedes possession, he shirks challenges, and most importantly he's scared to take any kind of risk to play a forward pass, instead just passing the buck. Add to that suggestions of him leaking stories to the press and an air of entitlement in his interviews. Apparently we've wanted to get rid of him for a while but he stayed knowing he wouldn't get game time. When he did play there were few signs he was fighting for his Spurs career. I can see why he gets a bit of stick.

he has been dealt a rough hand by poor management at Tottenham - we tried to make him into another Dembele it simply wasn't and never will be his skillset - as a result he ended up risk averse on the ball and playing in a role which he couldn't fill.

Winks has some talent when he moves the ball he is a continuity midfield player , he is never going to be a defensive midfield player or one who breaks sides open with flamboyant passing - hopefully he will find a club and get back to being the player that he is capable of being

 

[Freddie]

I think some of that is a little harsh. I agree he is not good enough for our ambitions. He can play a progressive pass in the middle third, and he can move the ball nicely. His main strength is a little burst of acceleration to wriggle through a gap when under pressure (but has not had the confidence to do this for a long time).

His weaknesses are:

Defensive positioning - constantly the wrong side of the man / ball, no anticipation of danger.
Tackling
Zero aerial ability
No composure anywhere near the final third.

But if he doesn't have confidence to do what he's best at then he's contributing next to nothing. Even when he's come on to help us see out games (when taking no risks is exactly what we want) he seems to get us into trouble. In terms of him not being good enough for our ambitions...I've genuinely no idea. IF he could regain confidence I don't know how good he is. But he isn't going to get enough game time to find that confidence with us so he has to go. I suspect he'll have a good mid-table career

 

[Freddie]

he has been dealt a rough hand by poor management at Tottenham - we tried to make him into another Dembele it simply wasn't and never will be his skillset - as a result he ended up risk averse on the ball and playing in a role which he couldn't fill.

Winks has some talent when he moves the ball he is a continuity midfield player , he is never going to be a defensive midfield player or one who breaks sides open with flamboyant passing - hopefully he will find a club and get back to being the player that he is capable of being

I agree with that. When we play well, he can play well. When we don't he doesn't have the tools to change that. It's not entirely his fault if people don't move for him. His physical limitations are one of the reasons he frustrates in that sense.

 

[djhotspur]

Brighton have a vacancy. I think Potter would be great for Winks.

Agreed, but winks is no bissouma, he needs to be a bit more of an advanced 8 in a system I think

 

[wizgell]

To say he's stood still is generous. He's massively regressed, and in the last 3 years he's been terrible almost every time he has played bar a handful of games. It hasn't helped that he hasn't had an extended run of games but to be frank he hasn't earned that. He concedes possession, he shirks challenges, and most importantly he's scared to take any kind of risk to play a forward pass, instead just passing the buck. Add to that suggestions of him leaking stories to the press and an air of entitlement in his interviews. Apparently we've wanted to get rid of him for a while but he stayed knowing he wouldn't get game time. When he did play there were few signs he was fighting for his Spurs career. I can see why he gets a bit of stick.

I agree with some of your points but some are completely unfounded and probably blurred by bias.

To say he shirks a challenge isn't entirely accurate and I suspect your issue with his lack of forward passing is probably based on his time under Mourinho, because while he may never have been a 30 yard pass over the top type, he can certainly pass forwards.

I think in England we are too quick to try and pigeon hole midfielders, they either have to be a Makelele type or a creative force with Beckham's right foot. Winks sits in neither of those and often people struggle to fit them in.

For clarity, the time is right for him to go as we now have far better options but as he came through and broke in he was a good option in a midfield that suited his style under Poch, that's not the case anymore and that's why he isn't playing.

 

[Aphex]

Brighton have a vacancy. I think Potter would be great for Winks.

Imagine going from Bissouma in midfield to Winks. ? They already have Yves replacement anyway.

 

[Ghost Hardware]

Imagine being Everton and thinking buying Winks was the answer to not going down next season.

 

[WiganSpur]

he has been dealt a rough hand by poor management at Tottenham - we tried to make him into another Dembele it simply wasn't and never will be his skillset - as a result he ended up risk averse on the ball and playing in a role which he couldn't fill.

Winks has some talent when he moves the ball he is a continuity midfield player , he is never going to be a defensive midfield player or one who breaks sides open with flamboyant passing - hopefully he will find a club and get back to being the player that he is capable of being

I think the problem with Winks is just that he doesn't have enough facets to his game.

What he's good at:
-Showing for the ball
-Keeping possession and things ticking over
-Decent engine on him

What he's mediocre at:
-Dribbling
-Passing range

What he's not good at:
-Defensive positioning
-Physicality and duels
-Making runs
-Shooting and finishing
-Aerial ability


You just can't expect to be mediocre/poor in so many aspects and expect to be a good PL midfield player. Winks is poor in both boxes so it's very hard to find a position for him. It would have to be in a midfield 3, but as an 8 you're expected to drive forward and he doesn't offer that.

 

[djhotspur]

Imagine being Everton and thinking buying Winks was the answer to not going down next season.

I think a midfield of Allan, Doucoure and WInks would actually be pretty good. Theyd have to play 4 3 3 though as Allan is too slow and so is Winks.

 

[djhotspur]

I think the problem with Winks is just that he doesn't have enough facets to his game.

What he's good at:
-Showing for the ball
-Keeping possession and things ticking over
-Decent engine on him

What he's mediocre at:
-Dribbling
-Passing range

What he's not good at:
-Defensive positioning
-Physicality
-Making runs
-Shooting and finishing


You just can't expect to be mediocre/poor in so many aspects and expect to be a good PL midfield player. Winks is poor in both boxes so it's very hard to find a position for him. It would have to be in a midfield 3, but as an 8 you're expected to drive forward and he doesn't offer that.

I think the main problem is our obsession over the past few years of playing a double pivot. He does not have the pace or defensive ability to play in a double pivot.